Use of sorghum as feed supplement may reduce poultry, livestock production cost

The state-run Pampanga Agricultural College (PAC) is studying the possibility of using sweet sorghum grains as a complementary raw feed material to corn grains to lower the cost of chicken feed, according to the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR). It was discovered that the use of sweet sorghum grains can potentially lower feed cost to P20.49 per kilo compared to P21.86 per kilo using corn. The difference in cost is significant given that feeds  account for 50 percent of the cost of raising poultry and livestock. Also, the Philippines imports corn feed ingredients particularly feedwheat. "Any competitiveness in cost will have an important impact in raising the standard of living especially of our small farmers," said BAR director Nicomedes Eleazar. The university's study showed that acceptability to animals of sweet sorghum feed was similar, to corn-based feeds. "The result would imply that sweet sorghum can replace corn without causing adverse effects on performance," PAC's report said., However, even if the PAC study proves sweet sorghum to be an adequate feed supplement, it will not automatically mean that it will be immediately used as such. Grain production is still limited because farmers still do not have an assured market. Conversely, companies would not commit to purchase of sweet sorghum because there is no steady supply. On the research side, continuous studies have to be conducted for the production of commercial grade feed grains. — DVM, GMA News